I hope you continue to press in and persevere in our endeavor to dig deeper into God's word. "Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart... How can a young (wo)man keep his (her) way pure? By guarding it according to your word...With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! ... Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path....You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." (Psalm 119:2, 9, 10, 105, Jeremiah 29:13- parenthesis mine)
How earnestly do you seek after God? How deliberate and intentional are you about knowing your Creator? Your God? Your Savior? How serious are you about digging deeper into the Word exhaled from the mouth of the one that is the Lover of your soul? The One who knows you completely and loves you deeply? Are you seeking hard after Him? It's not too late. Join us now on this journey of Scripture reading, meditation and memorization. We are sharing each week the verse/passage our staff has been challenged to memorize. It is tough sometimes as we press on. You don't have to memorize the entire passage pick a verse or two each week that speak to you and memorize those 2. Every Scripture committed to memory becomes one more weapon in your personal arsenal.
This week's verse.
Psalm 91:5-105 You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day,6nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday. 7A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.8You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked. 9Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place- the Most High, who is my refuge-10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent.
I would love to get some feedback from more of you that are taking this challenge with us. Email me and let me know and I will pass along your comments to all our writers. We love hearing from you. Diane
Monday, May 31, 2010
Friday, May 28, 2010
DIGGING DEEPER into PSALM 91:1-4
1He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
In the shadow of the Almighty - a very real place of refuge:
Psalm 17:8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings,
Psalm 36:7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
Psalm 57:1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.
Psalm 63:7 for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
Hosea 14:7 They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow; they shall flourish like the grain;
2I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."
He is a refuge and fortress worthy of our praise and trust. Can you say that today in all honestly? You trust Him? With every aspect and concern of life?
3For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
God is your deliverer.
Exodus 14:13-14 And Moses said to the people, "Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent."
4He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
This is a great Psalm of strength and protection. A great Psalm to commit to memory because throughout life, we run into snares and deadly pestilence, in a manner of speaking. God is our refuge and deliverer just as much today as when this Psalm was penned.
Diane
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
In the shadow of the Almighty - a very real place of refuge:
Psalm 17:8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings,
Psalm 36:7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
Psalm 57:1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.
Psalm 63:7 for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
Hosea 14:7 They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow; they shall flourish like the grain;
2I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."
He is a refuge and fortress worthy of our praise and trust. Can you say that today in all honestly? You trust Him? With every aspect and concern of life?
3For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
God is your deliverer.
Exodus 14:13-14 And Moses said to the people, "Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent."
4He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
This is a great Psalm of strength and protection. A great Psalm to commit to memory because throughout life, we run into snares and deadly pestilence, in a manner of speaking. God is our refuge and deliverer just as much today as when this Psalm was penned.
Diane
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Healthy Hearts
Just as our heart, which is a valuable organ and needs to be taken care of properly by daily exercise, correct eating and living properly, so our hearts for Christ also need to be taken care of.
Do we give our hearts for God the same attention we give our physical heart? Here are some tips for a healthy heart.
1. Have a personal relationship with Christ. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. " Romans 10:9
2. Have a purpose for our heart in order to keep it pure and working properly. David was a man after God's own heart. David looked to God and chose to keep his heart pure and working properly. Psalm 51
3. Have a servant's heart. Serving Christ is one of the best exercises for our heart. It's like doing a cardiovascular workout!
4. Have a song in our heart. What better medicine than singing. When we are joyful and rejoicing in the Lord in our hearts, it's like giving our hearts a healthy dose of whole grain. "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." Ephesians 5:19
5. Have a trusting heart. Nothing can help us breathe easier than trusting the Lord. "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." Proverbs 3:5
6. Have love in our heart. There's something about having love in our hearts that makes that blood pump through our veins a little better. God not only wants us to love Him but love others, too. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself." Luke 10:27 When we don't take care of our heart it can lead to health problems such as heart disease and congestive heart failure. The same is true in the Christian life.
Do you have a healthy heart?
PF
Woman of Character Graduate
Psalm 91:3,4
3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
Do we give our hearts for God the same attention we give our physical heart? Here are some tips for a healthy heart.
1. Have a personal relationship with Christ. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. " Romans 10:9
2. Have a purpose for our heart in order to keep it pure and working properly. David was a man after God's own heart. David looked to God and chose to keep his heart pure and working properly. Psalm 51
3. Have a servant's heart. Serving Christ is one of the best exercises for our heart. It's like doing a cardiovascular workout!
4. Have a song in our heart. What better medicine than singing. When we are joyful and rejoicing in the Lord in our hearts, it's like giving our hearts a healthy dose of whole grain. "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." Ephesians 5:19
5. Have a trusting heart. Nothing can help us breathe easier than trusting the Lord. "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." Proverbs 3:5
6. Have love in our heart. There's something about having love in our hearts that makes that blood pump through our veins a little better. God not only wants us to love Him but love others, too. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself." Luke 10:27 When we don't take care of our heart it can lead to health problems such as heart disease and congestive heart failure. The same is true in the Christian life.
Do you have a healthy heart?
PF
Woman of Character Graduate
Psalm 91:3,4
3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
What to Wear
In a few weeks I will be attending a wedding. While waiting to meet my sisters for lunch, I went into a near by store. I found a really nice dress on sale. I scanned the tag and found it to be on sale lower then the price tag had reflected. I went to try the dress on only to find that the zipper was damaged. Since then I have been looking for another dress but my mind keeps going back to the "perfect" dress with the broken zipper.
Colossians 3:12-17 reminds me about the things I am to put on everyday, not just for special occasions. We are told to "put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, bearing with one another and forgiving one another as Christ has forgiven you, above all these things put on love, let the peace of God rule in your hearts, be thankful, let the word of God dwell in you richly, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God the Father."
Am I more disappointed in not having the perfect dress when my outer self does not reflect that I have put on what glorifies Jesus Christ? Like the dress that looked so right but had the broken zipper, I can be careful to look just right but end up in need of some repairs from the inside out.
Kathy Withers
PSALM 91
2I will say to the LORD,
"My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."
Colossians 3:12-17 reminds me about the things I am to put on everyday, not just for special occasions. We are told to "put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, bearing with one another and forgiving one another as Christ has forgiven you, above all these things put on love, let the peace of God rule in your hearts, be thankful, let the word of God dwell in you richly, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God the Father."
Am I more disappointed in not having the perfect dress when my outer self does not reflect that I have put on what glorifies Jesus Christ? Like the dress that looked so right but had the broken zipper, I can be careful to look just right but end up in need of some repairs from the inside out.
Kathy Withers
PSALM 91
2I will say to the LORD,
"My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Pentecost
Lev. 23:15-16 And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the LORD. You shall bring from your dwellings two wave loaves of two-tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven. They are the firstfruits to the LORD. (NKJV)
Exodus 19:18-20 Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice. Then the LORD came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. (NKJV)
Acts 2:1-4 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (NKJV)
Those who know me know that I love to share what I have learned about the Hebrew calendar and feasts. It has opened a door of new understanding of the Word of God. It has impacted my prayer life.
The most recent Hebrew feast is Pentecost, began at sundown on May 18th.
Not too long ago I shared with you about Passover, a time to recognize that Jesus became our Passover Lamb. In fulfilling the feast of Passover, Jesus was crucified. Death must now pass over as we receive the gift of Jesus Christ as our Savior. Jesus is the way to the gift of salvation and is our peace beyond all understanding as we continue to live in our world with all of its challenges and trials.
Death did not hold Jesus (Rev. 1:18). He was resurrected as the first fruits from the dead and fifty days later on the Feast of Pentecost He sent Holy Spirit upon the disciples who were gathered to celebrate the Feast.
There are, in essence, three levels of significance for Pentecost, and each level represents a new expression of God's blessing.
First: Pentecost is receiving and celebrating God's blessing of provision. The Jewish people celebrate the harvest of wheat. They bake two loaves of bread and celebrate with praise and giving (Lev. 23:15-21).
Second: It is a celebration of God's Word or Torah which means "the teaching of God." It is at this time the Jewish people remember when the heavens opened and the Lord descended upon Mount Sinai in fire and called Moses to come up where He gave His law. Pentecost is a celebration of the release of God's revelation (Ex. 19:16-20).
Third: For us it is a celebration of the Fire of His Glory. The fire came down upon His disciples as they gathered together in celebration of Pentecost. Jesus was resurrected as the first fruits from the dead and fifty days later on the Feast of Pentecost He sent Holy Spirit upon the disciples who were gathered to celebrate the Feast. Jesus had told them to wait for the baptism of Holy Spirit (Acts 1). They were gathered displaying their dependence upon God and at that very time came the outpouring of Holy Spirit. They were anointed with spiritual power for the purpose of making them effective in their witness to the lordship of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8, Acts 2:1-4).
Even though Pentecost is now past, eelebrate and give thanks for God's provision. Celebrate and give thanks for the revelation of His Word. Celebrate and anticipate a fresh release of His Holy Spirit. Then take some time with your family or even by yourself to be with God. Give Him thanks, praise Him and read His Word. Ask for a fresh outpouring of His Spirit. You might spend time in Scriptures about Pentecost or meditate upon Psalm 103. God is so faithful, He will meet you as you seek Him. By His grace we, too, can receive power of God to overcome sin and live as effective witnesses to the lordship of Jesus Christ.
There are many websites to assist you in celebrating Pentecost. Books that I have used include the following: The Cycles of God by Robert Heidler; God's Appointed Times by Barney Kasdan; Jesus in the Feasts of Israel by Richard Booker.
Patricia Wenzel
Women of Character graduate
PSALM 91
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
Exodus 19:18-20 Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice. Then the LORD came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. (NKJV)
Acts 2:1-4 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (NKJV)
Those who know me know that I love to share what I have learned about the Hebrew calendar and feasts. It has opened a door of new understanding of the Word of God. It has impacted my prayer life.
The most recent Hebrew feast is Pentecost, began at sundown on May 18th.
Not too long ago I shared with you about Passover, a time to recognize that Jesus became our Passover Lamb. In fulfilling the feast of Passover, Jesus was crucified. Death must now pass over as we receive the gift of Jesus Christ as our Savior. Jesus is the way to the gift of salvation and is our peace beyond all understanding as we continue to live in our world with all of its challenges and trials.
Death did not hold Jesus (Rev. 1:18). He was resurrected as the first fruits from the dead and fifty days later on the Feast of Pentecost He sent Holy Spirit upon the disciples who were gathered to celebrate the Feast.
There are, in essence, three levels of significance for Pentecost, and each level represents a new expression of God's blessing.
First: Pentecost is receiving and celebrating God's blessing of provision. The Jewish people celebrate the harvest of wheat. They bake two loaves of bread and celebrate with praise and giving (Lev. 23:15-21).
Second: It is a celebration of God's Word or Torah which means "the teaching of God." It is at this time the Jewish people remember when the heavens opened and the Lord descended upon Mount Sinai in fire and called Moses to come up where He gave His law. Pentecost is a celebration of the release of God's revelation (Ex. 19:16-20).
Third: For us it is a celebration of the Fire of His Glory. The fire came down upon His disciples as they gathered together in celebration of Pentecost. Jesus was resurrected as the first fruits from the dead and fifty days later on the Feast of Pentecost He sent Holy Spirit upon the disciples who were gathered to celebrate the Feast. Jesus had told them to wait for the baptism of Holy Spirit (Acts 1). They were gathered displaying their dependence upon God and at that very time came the outpouring of Holy Spirit. They were anointed with spiritual power for the purpose of making them effective in their witness to the lordship of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8, Acts 2:1-4).
Even though Pentecost is now past, eelebrate and give thanks for God's provision. Celebrate and give thanks for the revelation of His Word. Celebrate and anticipate a fresh release of His Holy Spirit. Then take some time with your family or even by yourself to be with God. Give Him thanks, praise Him and read His Word. Ask for a fresh outpouring of His Spirit. You might spend time in Scriptures about Pentecost or meditate upon Psalm 103. God is so faithful, He will meet you as you seek Him. By His grace we, too, can receive power of God to overcome sin and live as effective witnesses to the lordship of Jesus Christ.
There are many websites to assist you in celebrating Pentecost. Books that I have used include the following: The Cycles of God by Robert Heidler; God's Appointed Times by Barney Kasdan; Jesus in the Feasts of Israel by Richard Booker.
Patricia Wenzel
Women of Character graduate
PSALM 91
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
Monday, May 24, 2010
DIGGING DEEPER PSALM 91:1-4
Over the next 3 weeks we will be meditating and memorizing Psalm 91 in its entirety. If you haven't joined us on our journey so far, now is a great time to jump in. I had the opportunity to meet with a lovely woman this week who is in her 80's. She was gracious and enthusiastic about life. She shared with me that verses she memorized as a child still come back to her even now. I want that. I want to have stored up so much Scripture in my heart and mind that if my memory starts to go, I will have much truth to feast upon in my heart.
This week we start with the first 4 verses:
1He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."
3For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
4He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
Commentary:"This psalm describes God's on-going sovereign protection of His people from the ever-present dangers and terrors which surround humanity. The original setting may be that of an army about to go to battle. Most of the terrors mentioned in this psalm are left undefined, no doubt intentionally, so that no kind of danger is omitted from application. Believers in every age can read this psalm to learn that nothing can harm a child of God unless the Lord permits it." The MacArthur Bible Commentary by John MacArthur pg. 658.
This week we start with the first 4 verses:
1He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."
3For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
4He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
Commentary:"This psalm describes God's on-going sovereign protection of His people from the ever-present dangers and terrors which surround humanity. The original setting may be that of an army about to go to battle. Most of the terrors mentioned in this psalm are left undefined, no doubt intentionally, so that no kind of danger is omitted from application. Believers in every age can read this psalm to learn that nothing can harm a child of God unless the Lord permits it." The MacArthur Bible Commentary by John MacArthur pg. 658.
Friday, May 21, 2010
DIGGING DEEPER PSALM 86:11-13
Points to Ponder
11 Teach me your way, O LORD,
that I may walk in your truth;
unite my heart to fear your name.
I like the NIV version of this verse:
Teach me your way, O LORD,
and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.
"Give me an undivided heart." I don't know about you, but many things vie for my attention and honestly, they often get it. If I am going to have an undivided heart, a united heart, I need God to accomplish that in my life. I have proven I can't do it apart from the work of the Holy Spirit in my life. I want to have an undivided heart. I truly do. How about you?
12I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
and I will glorify your name forever.
Do we experience and express thankfulness and gratitude with our whole heart? Or are we half-hearted about it?
13 For great is your steadfast love toward me;
you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
I can't help but notice several of our Scripture memory verses have referred to God's steadfast love. His love holds on tight and never waxes or wanes. It doesn't ebb and flow based on His mood or world events. His love for you is not affected by your successes or your failures. His love for you is not affected by your past or your present. His love for you is not affected by your mistakes or your sins. His love for you is steadfast. In a world that changes daily and is confusing and intimidating at times, His love is steadfast. You can stake your life on it. He did.
Diane
Points to Ponder
11 Teach me your way, O LORD,
that I may walk in your truth;
unite my heart to fear your name.
I like the NIV version of this verse:
Teach me your way, O LORD,
and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.
"Give me an undivided heart." I don't know about you, but many things vie for my attention and honestly, they often get it. If I am going to have an undivided heart, a united heart, I need God to accomplish that in my life. I have proven I can't do it apart from the work of the Holy Spirit in my life. I want to have an undivided heart. I truly do. How about you?
12I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
and I will glorify your name forever.
Do we experience and express thankfulness and gratitude with our whole heart? Or are we half-hearted about it?
13 For great is your steadfast love toward me;
you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
I can't help but notice several of our Scripture memory verses have referred to God's steadfast love. His love holds on tight and never waxes or wanes. It doesn't ebb and flow based on His mood or world events. His love for you is not affected by your successes or your failures. His love for you is not affected by your past or your present. His love for you is not affected by your mistakes or your sins. His love for you is steadfast. In a world that changes daily and is confusing and intimidating at times, His love is steadfast. You can stake your life on it. He did.
Diane
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Life is Hard....but God is Good
"God is good, all the time." "All the time, God is good." We repeat that so glibly when prompted, but do we really believe it? Do we live as though we believe it?
A few years ago, I started to sing a song with the same title as today's Victory Call. The words of the chorus are:
Life is hard, the world is cold
We're barely young and then we're old
But every falling tear is always understood
Life is hard, but God is good 1
The older I get, the more I realize that life is not really intended to be easy. Sure, there may be times when things go well for awhile, but that isn't the norm, and we need to not get too comfortable or expect that things will stay that way. The Bible is full of assurances that trials, challenges and difficulties are what we should expect in this world.
James 1:2 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, WHENever you face trials of many kinds," - notice it's WHENever, not IF.
Isaiah 43:2 "WHEN you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and WHEN you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. WHEN you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." Again, not IF but WHEN.
Lastly, Jesus Himself told us: "In this world you WILL have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33b)
If you're going through a time of peace and things going are well, rejoice, enjoy, and give thanks - but be prepared. The time WILL come when a trial, a challenge, a difficulty, a hardship will come your way. Know the One Who will stand by you; Who will not leave you or forsake you; Who will be your strength, your comfort, your peace; Who has already overcome the world. He is Good!
Ruth Schmidt
1 "Life is Hard, But God is Good" by Pam Thum
PSALM 86
13 For great is your steadfast love toward me;
you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
A few years ago, I started to sing a song with the same title as today's Victory Call. The words of the chorus are:
Life is hard, the world is cold
We're barely young and then we're old
But every falling tear is always understood
Life is hard, but God is good 1
The older I get, the more I realize that life is not really intended to be easy. Sure, there may be times when things go well for awhile, but that isn't the norm, and we need to not get too comfortable or expect that things will stay that way. The Bible is full of assurances that trials, challenges and difficulties are what we should expect in this world.
James 1:2 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, WHENever you face trials of many kinds," - notice it's WHENever, not IF.
Isaiah 43:2 "WHEN you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and WHEN you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. WHEN you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." Again, not IF but WHEN.
Lastly, Jesus Himself told us: "In this world you WILL have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33b)
If you're going through a time of peace and things going are well, rejoice, enjoy, and give thanks - but be prepared. The time WILL come when a trial, a challenge, a difficulty, a hardship will come your way. Know the One Who will stand by you; Who will not leave you or forsake you; Who will be your strength, your comfort, your peace; Who has already overcome the world. He is Good!
Ruth Schmidt
1 "Life is Hard, But God is Good" by Pam Thum
PSALM 86
13 For great is your steadfast love toward me;
you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
To Love is to Risk II
John 15 12-13 "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
How do we love others the way Jesus loved us? It seems impossible to do. How do we risk our hearts day after day? I can think of only one way to even begin to do so and that is by being on our faces every morning. We need to be crying out to Him for the courage, strength and grace to love beyond our abilities. It is impossible to obey Jesus' command to love the way He loved...in our own ability or strength. The ability to love like that only comes from the Holy Spirit who lives in us and will love through us. We are asked in Scripture to die to self and consider others better than ourselves. The TRUTH is: It's not about me, it's all about Jesus. Philippians 2:2-4 Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Just as we do not love in our own ability but through the Holy Spirit in us, we also do not have the capacity to handle the possibility of a broken heart. Praise the Lord that He is there for us in the pain as well. His grace is sufficient to meet all of our needs, even a broken heart. Love may be a risky business but the blessing of loving the way Jesus loves far out shines the pain. We must love one another and just give the rest to Him for His glory!
MaryAnn
MaryAnn and John Kiernan have been married for 36 years, have 2 grown/married sons and are the proud grandparents of 3 grandsons. She serves at America's Keswick as a Biblical Counselor and also as Intake Coordinator for the Colony of Mercy. Her life verse is Romans 8:28.
PSALM 86
I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
and I will glorify your name forever.
How do we love others the way Jesus loved us? It seems impossible to do. How do we risk our hearts day after day? I can think of only one way to even begin to do so and that is by being on our faces every morning. We need to be crying out to Him for the courage, strength and grace to love beyond our abilities. It is impossible to obey Jesus' command to love the way He loved...in our own ability or strength. The ability to love like that only comes from the Holy Spirit who lives in us and will love through us. We are asked in Scripture to die to self and consider others better than ourselves. The TRUTH is: It's not about me, it's all about Jesus. Philippians 2:2-4 Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Just as we do not love in our own ability but through the Holy Spirit in us, we also do not have the capacity to handle the possibility of a broken heart. Praise the Lord that He is there for us in the pain as well. His grace is sufficient to meet all of our needs, even a broken heart. Love may be a risky business but the blessing of loving the way Jesus loves far out shines the pain. We must love one another and just give the rest to Him for His glory!
MaryAnn
MaryAnn and John Kiernan have been married for 36 years, have 2 grown/married sons and are the proud grandparents of 3 grandsons. She serves at America's Keswick as a Biblical Counselor and also as Intake Coordinator for the Colony of Mercy. Her life verse is Romans 8:28.
PSALM 86
I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
and I will glorify your name forever.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
To Love is to Risk
Have you ever found yourself having a very difficult time loving someone? Or continuing to love someone after they have hurt you deeply or repeatedly? I'm sure each of us has found ourselves in that position at one time or another. Each time we love someone we take a risk that our hearts may wind up broken.
From the time we are born, even before we can say the word "love," or know its meaning, we begin to risk our hearts on loving someone. Usually the "someone" is our mom and dad. Not all parents love and care for their children the way they should and the hearts of the children may be broken. We risk our hearts with siblings, extended families, friends, spouses...the list goes on. Each time we put our hearts out there we are taking a risk that we may be wounded.
When our hearts are broken we naturally want to draw back, protect and nurse our wounded hearts. There are some people who totally draw back and build a hard shell around their heart and never love again because they don't want or think they can't endure more pain.
The world can withdraw their hearts, protect them from more hurt, and refuse to risk loving again. But as Christians we are called to a higher standard than that of the world. John 15 12-13 "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
Jesus commands us to love... just the way He loved us. So we can't harden our hearts or play it safe. Jesus is our greatest example of love. Jesus risked His heart and His love on us. Love is a risky business and Jesus was in the business of risky love. He loved His family and they thought He had lost His mind. He loved those no one else would love and His own people scorned Him for it. He loved and had compassion on the sick and He healed them; very few ever even thanked him. Jesus came as Messiah to His Chosen People and they rejected Him and hung Him on a cross. His closest friends turned their backs on Him, one denied Him, and yet another gave Him over into the hands of those who would kill Him. For years I ignored Jesus, rebelled against Him...I wallowed in a sinful lifestyle and He still loved me.
Jesus knows what it's like to risk love unabashedly and have His heart broken in pieces. And still...He laid down His life for us all. "Greater love has one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." And Jesus calls us His "friends."
Love is a risky business.
MaryAnn
MaryAnn and John Kiernan have been married for 36 years, have 2 grown/married sons and are the proud grandparents of 3 grandsons. She serves at America's Keswick as a Biblical Counselor and also as Intake Coordinator for the Colony of Mercy. Her life verse is Romans 8:28.
PSALM 86:11
Teach me your way, O LORD,
that I may walk in your truth;
unite my heart to fear your name.
From the time we are born, even before we can say the word "love," or know its meaning, we begin to risk our hearts on loving someone. Usually the "someone" is our mom and dad. Not all parents love and care for their children the way they should and the hearts of the children may be broken. We risk our hearts with siblings, extended families, friends, spouses...the list goes on. Each time we put our hearts out there we are taking a risk that we may be wounded.
When our hearts are broken we naturally want to draw back, protect and nurse our wounded hearts. There are some people who totally draw back and build a hard shell around their heart and never love again because they don't want or think they can't endure more pain.
The world can withdraw their hearts, protect them from more hurt, and refuse to risk loving again. But as Christians we are called to a higher standard than that of the world. John 15 12-13 "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
Jesus commands us to love... just the way He loved us. So we can't harden our hearts or play it safe. Jesus is our greatest example of love. Jesus risked His heart and His love on us. Love is a risky business and Jesus was in the business of risky love. He loved His family and they thought He had lost His mind. He loved those no one else would love and His own people scorned Him for it. He loved and had compassion on the sick and He healed them; very few ever even thanked him. Jesus came as Messiah to His Chosen People and they rejected Him and hung Him on a cross. His closest friends turned their backs on Him, one denied Him, and yet another gave Him over into the hands of those who would kill Him. For years I ignored Jesus, rebelled against Him...I wallowed in a sinful lifestyle and He still loved me.
Jesus knows what it's like to risk love unabashedly and have His heart broken in pieces. And still...He laid down His life for us all. "Greater love has one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." And Jesus calls us His "friends."
Love is a risky business.
MaryAnn
MaryAnn and John Kiernan have been married for 36 years, have 2 grown/married sons and are the proud grandparents of 3 grandsons. She serves at America's Keswick as a Biblical Counselor and also as Intake Coordinator for the Colony of Mercy. Her life verse is Romans 8:28.
PSALM 86:11
Teach me your way, O LORD,
that I may walk in your truth;
unite my heart to fear your name.
Monday, May 17, 2010
DIGGING DEEPER PSALM 86:11-13
Why are we pursuing a weekly Scripture focus? There is power in the Word. Here are some thoughts to consider as we start a new week.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
Acts 19:20 So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.
Acts 20:32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Ephesians 5:25-26 as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
1 Peter 1:25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.
That's why Victory Call is all about the WORD.
DIGGING DEEPER PSALM 86:11-13
11 Teach me your way, O LORD,
that I may walk in your truth;
unite my heart to fear your name.
12I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
and I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your steadfast love toward me;
you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
Commentary:"This Psalm is an individual lament (cf. Ps. 56) in which David expresses his distress and overcomes that distress through praise and worship. There is a sense of urgency demonstrated by some fourteen prayer requests. Undergirding the requests is the covenant relationship (vv. 2, 5, 13)." The MacArthur Bible Commentary by John MacArthur pg.653.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
Acts 19:20 So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.
Acts 20:32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Ephesians 5:25-26 as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
1 Peter 1:25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.
That's why Victory Call is all about the WORD.
DIGGING DEEPER PSALM 86:11-13
11 Teach me your way, O LORD,
that I may walk in your truth;
unite my heart to fear your name.
12I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
and I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your steadfast love toward me;
you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
Commentary:"This Psalm is an individual lament (cf. Ps. 56) in which David expresses his distress and overcomes that distress through praise and worship. There is a sense of urgency demonstrated by some fourteen prayer requests. Undergirding the requests is the covenant relationship (vv. 2, 5, 13)." The MacArthur Bible Commentary by John MacArthur pg.653.
Friday, May 14, 2010
DIGGING DEEPER
The tally is in ...... It was a close competition - but WE WON!!! Thanks, ladies, for your contribution to the 2nd annual Family Freedom Walk last Saturday, May 8.
Points to Ponder -
Psalm 66:16-20
16 Come and hear, all you who fear God,
and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
Are you sharing with other believers what God has done in your life? Are you pondering such things in your own heart?
17I cried to him with my mouth,
and high praise was on my tongue.
Are you regularly and intentionally crying out to God with praise and prayer?
18If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
19But truly God has listened;
he has attended to the voice of my prayer.
God is listening. He hears the cry of your heart. He knows the deepest longings of your soul. Before you have formed your thoughts into words He knows it full well. When you talk to God, you have His undivided attention. He is not distracted or bored. He delights that you have come to Him and He enjoys His time with you.
20Blessed be God,
because he has not rejected my prayer
or removed his steadfast love from me!
Friend, God delights in you. There is nothing you can say, do or not do that will tarnish God's perfect love for you. His love is steadfast and immovable, yea everlasting. Pause and consider such things and be renewed in your spirit.
Diane
Points to Ponder -
Psalm 66:16-20
16 Come and hear, all you who fear God,
and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
Are you sharing with other believers what God has done in your life? Are you pondering such things in your own heart?
17I cried to him with my mouth,
and high praise was on my tongue.
Are you regularly and intentionally crying out to God with praise and prayer?
18If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
19But truly God has listened;
he has attended to the voice of my prayer.
God is listening. He hears the cry of your heart. He knows the deepest longings of your soul. Before you have formed your thoughts into words He knows it full well. When you talk to God, you have His undivided attention. He is not distracted or bored. He delights that you have come to Him and He enjoys His time with you.
20Blessed be God,
because he has not rejected my prayer
or removed his steadfast love from me!
Friend, God delights in you. There is nothing you can say, do or not do that will tarnish God's perfect love for you. His love is steadfast and immovable, yea everlasting. Pause and consider such things and be renewed in your spirit.
Diane
Thursday, May 13, 2010
HE Remembers...
A woman and her family spent some time visiting a nursing home on a regular basis. They did it with their daughters as a ministry to those there that might not have someone to visit them. For a time they visited an elderly woman who had Alzheimer's disease. They witnessed to her many times about Jesus Christ and their love for Him and His love for her. It became discouraging at times when she would only respond with religious comments that were not Biblical. She seemed not to know Jesus Christ as her personal Savior. One day as they were leaving from a visit with her, they "happened" to run into visitors coming to see her. She, in fact, did have family that visited on other days. After speaking with them, they came to realize that they, too, were believers in Jesus. "We are so happy to hear that! We've been visiting your mom for some time and sharing Christ with her but she doesn't seem to know Him." "Oh, no, they exclaimed, our mother has known the Lord for years, she just doesn't remember. This disease often brings back memories of her life before Christ and that's what you hear her referring to at times." What an encouragement to this family, not only did the Lord honor their attempts to share Christ, but He took their discouragement away by confirming to them that He had this one and they could move on to the next one! Even if she didn't remember Him, He would never forget about Her!
Sing, O heavens! Be joyful, O earth! And break out in singing, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people, And will have mercy on His afflicted. But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me, And my Lord has forgotten me." "Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;Your walls are continually before Me. Isaiah 49:13-16
Dina Seaton
PSALM 66:20
Blessed be God,
because he has not rejected my prayer
or removed his steadfast love from me!
Sing, O heavens! Be joyful, O earth! And break out in singing, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people, And will have mercy on His afflicted. But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me, And my Lord has forgotten me." "Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;Your walls are continually before Me. Isaiah 49:13-16
Dina Seaton
PSALM 66:20
Blessed be God,
because he has not rejected my prayer
or removed his steadfast love from me!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
ARE YOU WILLING TO WAIT?
"Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD" (Psalm 27:14).
Today has been hectic. We're planning to leave the area in the morning. We have had many medical events in the last year and trying to get all of the prescriptions and doctors' orders all lined up has been a real challenge. I kept hearing the words Wait on Me. I went to my on-line Bible, put in the words Wait on the Lord and watched to see what would come up. Well, this is the first verse that caught my attention: "Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say on the LORD" (Psalm 27:14). Ok, so the command is quite clear, but how do I do that?
"Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart." So does the instruction simply mean I should be brave? Actually, I believe it means that I should be encouraged. I made a decision that I would remind myself of the other times that God had been faithful and I would wait for the Lord to come through this time as well.
Matthew Henry commented, "wait, I say, on the Lord; whatever you do, grow not remiss in your attendance upon God. (2.) Keep up your spirits in the midst of the greatest dangers and difficulties: Be of good courage; let your hearts be fixed, trusting in God, and your minds stayed upon him, and then let none of these things move you. Those that wait upon the Lord have reason to be of good courage."1
And come through, He did. Part of the hecticness of this day has been dissipated, and I know He will resolve the rest as He sees fit. How about you? Are you waiting on the Lord? Be encouraged. Let Him know you are waiting for Him to come through. Let Him strengthen your heart. Remind yourself of how He has always come through in His time. "Wait, I say, on the Lord."
Marilyn Heavilin
Marilyn is a wife and mother, author, and international conference and retreat speaker. She and her husband Glen serve as Counselors-in-Residence at America's KESWICK during the summer months.
PSALM 66
18If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
19But truly God has listened;
he has attended to the voice of my prayer.
1 Matthew Henry, E-Sword, on-line resource
Today has been hectic. We're planning to leave the area in the morning. We have had many medical events in the last year and trying to get all of the prescriptions and doctors' orders all lined up has been a real challenge. I kept hearing the words Wait on Me. I went to my on-line Bible, put in the words Wait on the Lord and watched to see what would come up. Well, this is the first verse that caught my attention: "Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say on the LORD" (Psalm 27:14). Ok, so the command is quite clear, but how do I do that?
"Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart." So does the instruction simply mean I should be brave? Actually, I believe it means that I should be encouraged. I made a decision that I would remind myself of the other times that God had been faithful and I would wait for the Lord to come through this time as well.
Matthew Henry commented, "wait, I say, on the Lord; whatever you do, grow not remiss in your attendance upon God. (2.) Keep up your spirits in the midst of the greatest dangers and difficulties: Be of good courage; let your hearts be fixed, trusting in God, and your minds stayed upon him, and then let none of these things move you. Those that wait upon the Lord have reason to be of good courage."1
And come through, He did. Part of the hecticness of this day has been dissipated, and I know He will resolve the rest as He sees fit. How about you? Are you waiting on the Lord? Be encouraged. Let Him know you are waiting for Him to come through. Let Him strengthen your heart. Remind yourself of how He has always come through in His time. "Wait, I say, on the Lord."
Marilyn Heavilin
Marilyn is a wife and mother, author, and international conference and retreat speaker. She and her husband Glen serve as Counselors-in-Residence at America's KESWICK during the summer months.
PSALM 66
18If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
19But truly God has listened;
he has attended to the voice of my prayer.
1 Matthew Henry, E-Sword, on-line resource
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Choose To Trust
There is a saying- "What you don't know can't hurt you." Right now I don't know where my son is. What I don't know is killing me. I don't pray easy prayers for my children. I have shared how I pray that if my children will not bend their knee that God will break their leg. What I have learned is that prayer won't just break their legs, but as God answers, it will break my heart. I have had to decide these last few months that God knows where my son is and that that is enough. Many plans of action have gone through my mind, but I do not believe he is in harms way. Rather he is choosing not to be found at this time. I realize that I lost my last ounce of control, my last bit of being able to keep my hands in my son's life.
For all the letting go I have done, I find that I have had to let go of even more. God knew this time would come and I feel Him tugging at my heart to trust Him even more. Am I okay with the knowledge that my son can run but he can't hide from God? Am I content with the knowledge that God does see him even when I can't? Do I trust that this is the next step to drive my son to Christ? Do I trust that God is more than able?
Just when I thought I could not trust God anymore a bookmark was placed in my mailbox outside my office. It reads:
Father, During this coming week there may be times when I shall not be able to sense Your presence or to be aware of Your nearness.
When I am lonely and by myself I TRUST YOU TO BE MY COMPANION.
When I am tempted to sin I TRUST YOU TO KEEP ME FROM IT.
When I am depressed and anxious I TRUST YOU TO LIFT MY SPIRITS.
When I am crushed by my responsibility and overwhelmed by the demands of people on my time, I TRUST YOU TO GIVE ME POISE AND A SENSE OF PURPOSE.
When I am rushed and running I TRUST YOU TO MAKE ME STILL INSIDE.
When I forget You I TRUST THAT YOU WILL NEVER FORGET ME.
When I forget others I TRUST YOU TO PROMPT ME TO THINK OF THEM.
When you take something or someone from me that I want to keep; when You remove the props I lean on for comfort in place of You; when You refuse to respond to my questions and to answer my selfish prayers, I WILL TRUST YOU EVEN THEN. Amen
Will you trust Him with your "even then"?
Kathy Withers
PSALM 66
16 Come and hear, all you who fear God,
and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
17I cried to him with my mouth,
and high praise was on my tongue.
For all the letting go I have done, I find that I have had to let go of even more. God knew this time would come and I feel Him tugging at my heart to trust Him even more. Am I okay with the knowledge that my son can run but he can't hide from God? Am I content with the knowledge that God does see him even when I can't? Do I trust that this is the next step to drive my son to Christ? Do I trust that God is more than able?
Just when I thought I could not trust God anymore a bookmark was placed in my mailbox outside my office. It reads:
Father, During this coming week there may be times when I shall not be able to sense Your presence or to be aware of Your nearness.
When I am lonely and by myself I TRUST YOU TO BE MY COMPANION.
When I am tempted to sin I TRUST YOU TO KEEP ME FROM IT.
When I am depressed and anxious I TRUST YOU TO LIFT MY SPIRITS.
When I am crushed by my responsibility and overwhelmed by the demands of people on my time, I TRUST YOU TO GIVE ME POISE AND A SENSE OF PURPOSE.
When I am rushed and running I TRUST YOU TO MAKE ME STILL INSIDE.
When I forget You I TRUST THAT YOU WILL NEVER FORGET ME.
When I forget others I TRUST YOU TO PROMPT ME TO THINK OF THEM.
When you take something or someone from me that I want to keep; when You remove the props I lean on for comfort in place of You; when You refuse to respond to my questions and to answer my selfish prayers, I WILL TRUST YOU EVEN THEN. Amen
Will you trust Him with your "even then"?
Kathy Withers
PSALM 66
16 Come and hear, all you who fear God,
and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
17I cried to him with my mouth,
and high praise was on my tongue.
Monday, May 10, 2010
DIGGING DEEPER Psalm 66:16-20
I have been enjoying our focused attention on specific Scriptures and this week's is no different. I hope you are making progress on your journey along with us. I know there are those of you who skim over our Monday and Friday Victory Calls because they are JUST about the Scripture and memorization. Ho, hum. Right? READER BEWARE! There is nothing "ho, hum" about the meditation and memorization of God's Word. Imagine, God's Words from His lips to your ears, your heart. Are you listening?
Psalm 66:16-20
16 Come and hear, all you who fear God,
and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
17I cried to him with my mouth,
and high praise was on my tongue.
18If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
19But truly God has listened;
he has attended to the voice of my prayer.
20Blessed be God,
because he has not rejected my prayer
or removed his steadfast love from me!
Commentary:"The OT insists that each member of the people must own the covenant for himself; thus each one would have some report of what God has done for his soul (and not just for the people as a whole.) ...The one requirement is that the worshiper has not cherished (lit., "looked forward to," "aimed for") iniquity in his heart (v.18). The term "iniquity" here... refers to what is vile and abhorrent to God. To "cherish iniquity" is to aim at it; in context it refers to praying for God's help in order to be able to commit some form of sin - a practice the truly pious reject. Therefore it would be a misinterpretation to read this as implying that absolute sinlessness is a condition for answered prayer; rather, it reminds the faithful to pray for God's help in order to give him thanks and to serve him better..." ESV Study Bible notes pg 1016.
Psalm 66:16-20
16 Come and hear, all you who fear God,
and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
17I cried to him with my mouth,
and high praise was on my tongue.
18If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
19But truly God has listened;
he has attended to the voice of my prayer.
20Blessed be God,
because he has not rejected my prayer
or removed his steadfast love from me!
Commentary:"The OT insists that each member of the people must own the covenant for himself; thus each one would have some report of what God has done for his soul (and not just for the people as a whole.) ...The one requirement is that the worshiper has not cherished (lit., "looked forward to," "aimed for") iniquity in his heart (v.18). The term "iniquity" here... refers to what is vile and abhorrent to God. To "cherish iniquity" is to aim at it; in context it refers to praying for God's help in order to be able to commit some form of sin - a practice the truly pious reject. Therefore it would be a misinterpretation to read this as implying that absolute sinlessness is a condition for answered prayer; rather, it reminds the faithful to pray for God's help in order to give him thanks and to serve him better..." ESV Study Bible notes pg 1016.
Friday, May 07, 2010
DIGGING DEEPER into PSALM 63:1-5
The Family Freedom Walk is TOMORROW - It's not too late to donate.
A psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
1O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
3Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
4So I will bless you as long as I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
5My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
In the hustle and bustle of life, it is easy and natural to be distracted from what really matters. We seek satisfaction and good feelings from things other than God: marriages, family, jobs, position, friends, things, etc., but you and I both know they ALL fall short of fulfilling our deepest longings. They may satisfy for a season but eventually every one of those things fade leaving us longing for more of something. If we sought God with as earnestly as we sought other things, we would find our soul satisfied and our mouths could not hold back the praise.
Diane
If you'd like to donate toward the Family Freedom Walk, simply go to this link on our website https://01.secure.elexio.com/donations.aspx?id=366346&websiteurl=http://www.americaskeswick.org&siteid=2184 fill out the information and indicate in the "DESIGNATION" area : Family Freedom Walk: Victory Call or if you prefer call Ruth Schmidt at 1-80-453-7942, ext. 21 and make a gift with your credit card.
A psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
1O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
3Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
4So I will bless you as long as I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
5My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
In the hustle and bustle of life, it is easy and natural to be distracted from what really matters. We seek satisfaction and good feelings from things other than God: marriages, family, jobs, position, friends, things, etc., but you and I both know they ALL fall short of fulfilling our deepest longings. They may satisfy for a season but eventually every one of those things fade leaving us longing for more of something. If we sought God with as earnestly as we sought other things, we would find our soul satisfied and our mouths could not hold back the praise.
Diane
If you'd like to donate toward the Family Freedom Walk, simply go to this link on our website https://01.secure.elexio.com/donations.aspx?id=366346&websiteurl=http://www.americaskeswick.org&siteid=2184 fill out the information and indicate in the "DESIGNATION" area : Family Freedom Walk: Victory Call or if you prefer call Ruth Schmidt at 1-80-453-7942, ext. 21 and make a gift with your credit card.
Thursday, May 06, 2010
Five Loaves and Two Fishes
Matthew 14:15-21 "As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food." Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." "We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish," they answered. "Bring them here to me," he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children."
There are times - days, weeks and even months - when life just seems overwhelming. You don't have to be full-time employed outside your home to experience such times. These are times when you just feel that there is way more that needs done that there is time or energy to do.
Retreat season is prime-time for me to feel overwhelmed. I am keenly aware of my lack of ability and knowledge every time I am preparing for a women's retreat. I love doing the actual retreat; I love being with the women, I love the speaking but the preparation overwhelms me and I can get very stressed.
What is it in your life that can overwhelm you? Times when you feel there is more on your plate than is humanly possible to get done? That's how the disciples felt when Jesus told them to feed the crowd of over 5000 people with a measly 5 loaves and 2 fish. It was humanly impossible. But, and here's my point today, but when we surrender the little we have and trust God to accomplish through us what we can never do ourselves, much is accomplished in His power, in His strength, to His glory. So when you are faced with your crowd of hungry people, whatever that looks like in your life, offer to Jesus all you have, meager though it may be, pray for a "loaves and fishes day" and see how He multiplies many-fold what you bring.
I know I have written about this before, but allow me to repeat myself, because if nothing else I NEEDED THIS REMINDER TODAY.
Diane
UPCOMING EVENT
May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 2nd annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 8th. You can help in two ways. 1. walk - call guest services to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk. 2. (this is a fun one) Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Our goal is to raise more funds for the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter's team. If you would like to join the fun, simply go to this link on our website https://01.secure.elexio.com/donations.aspx?id=366346&websiteurl=http://www.americaskeswick.org&siteid=2184 fill out the information and indicate in the "DESIGNATION" area : Family Freedom Walk: Victory Call or if you prefer make your check out to America's KESWICK and put in the memo line: FFW/Victory Call and mail to : America's KESWICK 601 Route 530 Whiting, NJ 08759. ALL DONATIONS MUST ARRIVE NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, MAY 5TH in order to be counted for our TEAM. Come on ladies, we can do it!!!
There are times - days, weeks and even months - when life just seems overwhelming. You don't have to be full-time employed outside your home to experience such times. These are times when you just feel that there is way more that needs done that there is time or energy to do.
Retreat season is prime-time for me to feel overwhelmed. I am keenly aware of my lack of ability and knowledge every time I am preparing for a women's retreat. I love doing the actual retreat; I love being with the women, I love the speaking but the preparation overwhelms me and I can get very stressed.
What is it in your life that can overwhelm you? Times when you feel there is more on your plate than is humanly possible to get done? That's how the disciples felt when Jesus told them to feed the crowd of over 5000 people with a measly 5 loaves and 2 fish. It was humanly impossible. But, and here's my point today, but when we surrender the little we have and trust God to accomplish through us what we can never do ourselves, much is accomplished in His power, in His strength, to His glory. So when you are faced with your crowd of hungry people, whatever that looks like in your life, offer to Jesus all you have, meager though it may be, pray for a "loaves and fishes day" and see how He multiplies many-fold what you bring.
I know I have written about this before, but allow me to repeat myself, because if nothing else I NEEDED THIS REMINDER TODAY.
Diane
UPCOMING EVENT
May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 2nd annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 8th. You can help in two ways. 1. walk - call guest services to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk. 2. (this is a fun one) Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Our goal is to raise more funds for the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter's team. If you would like to join the fun, simply go to this link on our website https://01.secure.elexio.com/donations.aspx?id=366346&websiteurl=http://www.americaskeswick.org&siteid=2184 fill out the information and indicate in the "DESIGNATION" area : Family Freedom Walk: Victory Call or if you prefer make your check out to America's KESWICK and put in the memo line: FFW/Victory Call and mail to : America's KESWICK 601 Route 530 Whiting, NJ 08759. ALL DONATIONS MUST ARRIVE NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, MAY 5TH in order to be counted for our TEAM. Come on ladies, we can do it!!!
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Energized.......Engulfed........Encouraged
Reminder: The Family Freedom Walk for May 8th is approaching - just a few short days from now. The race is still on for "Victory Calls" vs. "Freedom Fighters" - Ladies don't give up, we can win. Right now the guys are beating us! See below to donate.
There's sure to be someone out there today reading this that needs the encouragement as much as I did the day the Lord brought these words to my mind. So I pass it on to you, and you, and you...
A Petition to the Lord~~~"...when my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I." Psalm 61:1 - 3
A Prayer and a Promise~~~ "Energize me with the joy of living; Engulf me with the love of serving; Encourage me with the soundness of mind to know that this is Your will for today."¹ The scripture given in the devotional with this prayer - 2 Timothy 1:7, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
A Changed Perspective~~~"He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8
God's Promises are sure and true and He is faithful!!! Speak God's Word to yourself to cancel out the thoughts that cause you to be overwhelmed and discouraged. Walk with Jesus today and be energized by His joy, engulfed by His love, and encouraged by His will!!!
DeEtta
¹ Used with permission from Family Christian Inspiration, Inc. (The Greiners), Bala Cynwyd, PA
DeEtta Marsh is presently serving as Women's Ministry Assistant P/T, and with her husband, Stan, as Coordinators for Families For Christ ministry to Colony of Mercy residents and wives, and Colony Graduate Couples. Serving the Lord on Staff at America's KESWICK since summer, 1995. Wife, mother, teacher, grandmother of 8.
UPCOMING EVENT
May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 2nd annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 8th. You can help in two ways. 1. walk - call guest services to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk. 2. (this is a fun one) Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Our goal is to raise more funds for the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter's team. If you would like to join the fun, simply go to this link on our website https://01.secure.elexio.com/donations.aspx?id=366346&websiteurl=http://www.americaskeswick.org&siteid=2184 fill out the information and indicate in the "DESIGNATION" area : Family Freedom Walk: Victory Call or if you prefer make your check out to America's KESWICK and put in the memo line: FFW/Victory Call and mail to : America's KESWICK 601 Route 530 Whiting, NJ 08759. ALL DONATIONS MUST ARRIVE NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, MAY 5TH in order to be counted for our TEAM. Come on ladies, we can do it!!!
There's sure to be someone out there today reading this that needs the encouragement as much as I did the day the Lord brought these words to my mind. So I pass it on to you, and you, and you...
A Petition to the Lord~~~"...when my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I." Psalm 61:1 - 3
A Prayer and a Promise~~~ "Energize me with the joy of living; Engulf me with the love of serving; Encourage me with the soundness of mind to know that this is Your will for today."¹ The scripture given in the devotional with this prayer - 2 Timothy 1:7, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
A Changed Perspective~~~"He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8
God's Promises are sure and true and He is faithful!!! Speak God's Word to yourself to cancel out the thoughts that cause you to be overwhelmed and discouraged. Walk with Jesus today and be energized by His joy, engulfed by His love, and encouraged by His will!!!
DeEtta
¹ Used with permission from Family Christian Inspiration, Inc. (The Greiners), Bala Cynwyd, PA
DeEtta Marsh is presently serving as Women's Ministry Assistant P/T, and with her husband, Stan, as Coordinators for Families For Christ ministry to Colony of Mercy residents and wives, and Colony Graduate Couples. Serving the Lord on Staff at America's KESWICK since summer, 1995. Wife, mother, teacher, grandmother of 8.
UPCOMING EVENT
May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 2nd annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 8th. You can help in two ways. 1. walk - call guest services to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk. 2. (this is a fun one) Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Our goal is to raise more funds for the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter's team. If you would like to join the fun, simply go to this link on our website https://01.secure.elexio.com/donations.aspx?id=366346&websiteurl=http://www.americaskeswick.org&siteid=2184 fill out the information and indicate in the "DESIGNATION" area : Family Freedom Walk: Victory Call or if you prefer make your check out to America's KESWICK and put in the memo line: FFW/Victory Call and mail to : America's KESWICK 601 Route 530 Whiting, NJ 08759. ALL DONATIONS MUST ARRIVE NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, MAY 5TH in order to be counted for our TEAM. Come on ladies, we can do it!!!
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
Do You Have a Discouraged Heart?
I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer. Psalm 17:6
"How are you feeling today?" can be one of the worst questions someone can ask you. At least if we want to be honest with them. We are taught to have the joy of the Lord and to rise and shine as Christians and never be down or discouraged as believers. I am not sure about you, but this seems like a tall order to complete some days. Our strength does come from the Lord, (Nehemiah 8:10), but there are still days when life seems to grip our hearts and lives and we become discouraged.
I have a saying that I use over and over in my life. "I NEED A POST CARD." To me a little postcard in the mail from a friend can be such a blessing. It can tell me how they are doing, that they are on vacation or maybe they send a friendly hello with verse of Scripture to encourage me. A postcard always brings a smile to our face and brings a little joy.
When life gets me down and discouraged and my heart is heavy, I find myself asking the Lord to send me a postcard of hope, encouragement, direction or whatever I think I need for that day. Sometimes I have asked for a certified letter instead when things are really discouraging.
Is your heart discouraged today? Do you need a postcard? We need to be in the Word daily to read and hear His Words for us and we need to be in prayer daily to share our hearts with Him. You might say that this is too basic and yes, we already know to do this.....but are we doing it? Sometimes when our hearts are discouraged, we have stepped away from the Word and prayer without realizing how far we have gone.
I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; and give ear to me and hear my prayer. (Psalm 17:6) When I pray and then ask for a postcard, it is exciting to know that I will get one from the heavenly postal system. It is always awesome to see the notes that He sends my way.
God is always moving in our lives. We do not always see it at the time and, of course, hindsight is 20/20. We need to keep moving forward, and if we hit a roadblock of discouragement, ask for a postcard of direction, yell out for help and wait for the heavenly mail system to deliver just what you need.
Lynn A Wilson
UPCOMING EVENT
May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 2nd annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 8th. You can help in two ways. 1. walk - call guest services to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk. 2. (this is a fun one) Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Our goal is to raise more funds for the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter's team. If you would like to join the fun, simply go to this link on our website https://01.secure.elexio.com/donations.aspx?id=366346&websiteurl=http://www.americaskeswick.org&siteid=2184 fill out the information and indicate in the "DESIGNATION" area : Family Freedom Walk: Victory Call or if you prefer make your check out to America's KESWICK and put in the memo line: FFW/Victory Call and mail to : America's KESWICK 601 Route 530 Whiting, NJ 08759. ALL DONATIONS MUST ARRIVE NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, MAY 5TH in order to be counted for our TEAM. Come on ladies, we can do it!!!
"How are you feeling today?" can be one of the worst questions someone can ask you. At least if we want to be honest with them. We are taught to have the joy of the Lord and to rise and shine as Christians and never be down or discouraged as believers. I am not sure about you, but this seems like a tall order to complete some days. Our strength does come from the Lord, (Nehemiah 8:10), but there are still days when life seems to grip our hearts and lives and we become discouraged.
I have a saying that I use over and over in my life. "I NEED A POST CARD." To me a little postcard in the mail from a friend can be such a blessing. It can tell me how they are doing, that they are on vacation or maybe they send a friendly hello with verse of Scripture to encourage me. A postcard always brings a smile to our face and brings a little joy.
When life gets me down and discouraged and my heart is heavy, I find myself asking the Lord to send me a postcard of hope, encouragement, direction or whatever I think I need for that day. Sometimes I have asked for a certified letter instead when things are really discouraging.
Is your heart discouraged today? Do you need a postcard? We need to be in the Word daily to read and hear His Words for us and we need to be in prayer daily to share our hearts with Him. You might say that this is too basic and yes, we already know to do this.....but are we doing it? Sometimes when our hearts are discouraged, we have stepped away from the Word and prayer without realizing how far we have gone.
I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; and give ear to me and hear my prayer. (Psalm 17:6) When I pray and then ask for a postcard, it is exciting to know that I will get one from the heavenly postal system. It is always awesome to see the notes that He sends my way.
God is always moving in our lives. We do not always see it at the time and, of course, hindsight is 20/20. We need to keep moving forward, and if we hit a roadblock of discouragement, ask for a postcard of direction, yell out for help and wait for the heavenly mail system to deliver just what you need.
Lynn A Wilson
UPCOMING EVENT
May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 2nd annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 8th. You can help in two ways. 1. walk - call guest services to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk. 2. (this is a fun one) Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Our goal is to raise more funds for the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter's team. If you would like to join the fun, simply go to this link on our website https://01.secure.elexio.com/donations.aspx?id=366346&websiteurl=http://www.americaskeswick.org&siteid=2184 fill out the information and indicate in the "DESIGNATION" area : Family Freedom Walk: Victory Call or if you prefer make your check out to America's KESWICK and put in the memo line: FFW/Victory Call and mail to : America's KESWICK 601 Route 530 Whiting, NJ 08759. ALL DONATIONS MUST ARRIVE NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, MAY 5TH in order to be counted for our TEAM. Come on ladies, we can do it!!!
Monday, May 03, 2010
DIGGING DEEPER PSALM 63:1-5
UPCOMING EVENT
May 8th is almost here for the annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 8th. The race is on for Victory Calls vs. Freedom Fighters (ladies vs gentlemen). Ladies, we can do it! See the bottom of the page to donate.
Our focus Scripture this week captures my heart. Have you ever been thirsty? Really thirsty? So thirsty that it consumes your thinking and little else matters? I have been that thirsty for water. I desire to be that thirsty for God. I want to be consumed with having more of Him. I do long for Him. Do you long for Him?
A psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
1O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
3Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
4So I will bless you as long as I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
5My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
Commentary:"The title tells us when the psalm was penned, when David was in the wilderness of Judah; that is, in the forest of Hareth (1 Sam.xxii.5) or in the wilderness of Ziph, 1 Sam. xxiii.15. Even in Canaan, though a fruitful land and the people numerous, yet there were wildernesses, places less fruitful and less inhabited than other places. It will be so in the world, in the church, but not in heaven. There the wilderness shall blossom as the rose. The best and dearest of God's saints and servants may sometimes have their lot cast in a wilderness. There are psalms proper for a wilderness, and we have reason to thank God that it is the wilderness of Judah we are in, not the wilderness of sin." Matthew Henry's Commentary in One Volume by Matthew Henry pg 641.
UPCOMING EVENT
May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 2nd annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 8th. You can help in two ways. 1. walk - call guest services to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk. 2. (this is a fun one) Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Our goal is to raise more funds for the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter's team. If you would like to join the fun, simply go to this link on our website https://01.secure.elexio.com/donations.aspx?id=366346&websiteurl=http://www.americaskeswick.org&siteid=2184 fill out the information and indicate in the "DESIGNATION" area : Family Freedom Walk: Victory Call or if you prefer make your check out to America's KESWICK and put in the memo line: FFW/Victory Call and mail to : America's KESWICK 601 Route 530 Whiting, NJ 08759. ALL DONATIONS MUST ARRIVE NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, MAY 5TH in order to be counted for our TEAM. Come on ladies, we can do it!!!
May 8th is almost here for the annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 8th. The race is on for Victory Calls vs. Freedom Fighters (ladies vs gentlemen). Ladies, we can do it! See the bottom of the page to donate.
Our focus Scripture this week captures my heart. Have you ever been thirsty? Really thirsty? So thirsty that it consumes your thinking and little else matters? I have been that thirsty for water. I desire to be that thirsty for God. I want to be consumed with having more of Him. I do long for Him. Do you long for Him?
A psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
1O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
3Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
4So I will bless you as long as I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
5My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
Commentary:"The title tells us when the psalm was penned, when David was in the wilderness of Judah; that is, in the forest of Hareth (1 Sam.xxii.5) or in the wilderness of Ziph, 1 Sam. xxiii.15. Even in Canaan, though a fruitful land and the people numerous, yet there were wildernesses, places less fruitful and less inhabited than other places. It will be so in the world, in the church, but not in heaven. There the wilderness shall blossom as the rose. The best and dearest of God's saints and servants may sometimes have their lot cast in a wilderness. There are psalms proper for a wilderness, and we have reason to thank God that it is the wilderness of Judah we are in, not the wilderness of sin." Matthew Henry's Commentary in One Volume by Matthew Henry pg 641.
UPCOMING EVENT
May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 2nd annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 8th. You can help in two ways. 1. walk - call guest services to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk. 2. (this is a fun one) Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Our goal is to raise more funds for the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter's team. If you would like to join the fun, simply go to this link on our website https://01.secure.elexio.com/donations.aspx?id=366346&websiteurl=http://www.americaskeswick.org&siteid=2184 fill out the information and indicate in the "DESIGNATION" area : Family Freedom Walk: Victory Call or if you prefer make your check out to America's KESWICK and put in the memo line: FFW/Victory Call and mail to : America's KESWICK 601 Route 530 Whiting, NJ 08759. ALL DONATIONS MUST ARRIVE NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, MAY 5TH in order to be counted for our TEAM. Come on ladies, we can do it!!!
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